For lots of different reasons, women were on my
mind last week. It started with a conversation about women in powerful and influential
positions in the University. It’s true to say that in different parts of the University
there are many more men in positions of power than women. Only 3 of the 9 Heads
of School are female, and of the 5 Pro-Vice Chancellors, only 1 is a woman.
Our School has a slightly different profile. 80% of the 200
academic staff are female, as are the students, 4 of the 6 Directors, and 3 of
the 4 Associate Heads of School are women. We have a large School Executive and
12 of the 15 positions are held by women. However, while these are examples of
women in powerful organisational positions, in the School Professoriate, the
group providing academic leadership for our research and teaching activities,
only 3 of our 9 professors are women.
And it seems we are not alone in trying to get
the gender inequality more balanced. Last week, the Women's Media Centre released
their annual report on the status of women in the media for 2012. Although this
is a US centric study, I think that some of the rather depressing findings are universally
recognisable. Not unexpectedly thee are only 17 women working in media and technology companies to be found on Fortune’s 50 Most
Powerful Women in Business list. Men are far more likely to be quoted than
women in newspapers, television and public radio, even on programmes that cover
such subjects as abortion, birth control, planned parenthood and women’s rights!
Talk radio and sports talk radio hosts are overwhelmingly male.
There
were other examples of inequality evident in all areas of media: 47% of gamers
are women, but 88% of video games developers are male. Story framing and
descriptions of women still too often fall into familiar stereotypes, from coverage
of the Olympics to the resignation of the director of the CIA over the
revelation of an extramarital relationship. Female characters are stereotyped
and sexualised in media popular with youth. Indeed girls as young as age 6
are starting to see themselves as sex objects, based on a combination of media
influence, parenting and religion.
The
study also found that women outnumber men on social media sites, but are also
more on guard about privacy and managing friends and contacts. This is not always the
case. 2 of our students found themselves in front of Fitness for
Professional Panels last week because of the way they chose to use social media
sites.
On a much more positive note, last Thursday I was
invited to the EU RADAR course dinner. The EU RADAR (Recognition of the Acutely Deteriorating
Patient with Appropriate Response) course is a
unique and innovative programme of study developed by a group of colleagues in
the School, led by one of the most creative people I have come across – Melanie
Stephens. Student nurses from across Europe and the US participate in lectures,
seminars and role play with clinical scenarios (informed by patients and
families). A systematic approach to early recognition
and response to acutely deteriorating patients is taught in a safe environment
without risk or harm to real patients. Students also further develop their
communication skills hopefully also broaden their cultural awareness and understanding
of difference.
It was
a buoyant and fun filled end to the 10 day course. This picture shows the incredulity
on the faces of some of the students as they watched the tutors perform a dance
routine to the music of Staying Alive. The prize-giving recognised the efforts the
students and tutors had put in to course, their development of new friendships and
acquisition of new knowledge. There was a special kind of energy and confidence
to the celebrations. These are the next generation of practitioners, leaders, researchers,
and teachers. The evening did much to fill me with confidence that we are
helping to prepare nurses who will be able to influence and shape and deliver
high quality health care services of the future and to be able to do this so well.
No comments:
Post a Comment